Dinner And A Game!
Dahlia
“Dahlia, wake up. Food is here.”
Food? Why is a man telling me to wake up and offering me — “It’s not a dream.”
“No Dahlia, it’s not a dream. Trust me when I say you want these steaks to be real. They are the best in the city.”
“Doubtful.” I work up the energy to open my eyes. “I have these neighbors that… their cooking will blow your mind. Eating their food is a life-changing experience.”
“You know your neighbors?”
“Of course, don’t you?”
He stands over me with a stack of towels in his hands. “I know about them, but generally avoid them as much as possible.” With the flick of a wrist, one towel opens up, draping across most of my body. “This is to cover you up, so you don’t end up sleeping in crumbs.”
That was so thoughtful.
“I’ ll be right back with your food. Drink some more water. Do you need me to open it for you?” Vex nods towards the new bottle by the bed.
Since I moved, my body feels a bit more alive. “I’ve got it, but thank you.”
He nods and hurries off.
Never in my life have I drunk this much water. Eight glasses a day has always been a far-fetched dream. Why did it take someone drugging me to get me—Someone drugged me. For no reason. Someone picked me out of all those people to drug.
Vex enters the room carrying a tray. “Dahlia, you’re shaking again.”
I am? It’s only then that I notice the trembling. “Why do I keep doing this? No, don’t answer that. Everything in my head is all jumbled up.”
“Do you want to eat later?” Vex stands there staring at me.
My stomach protests at the idea of him taking the divine-smelling food away. “No. I’m hungry.”
The tray that he sets down over the towel on my legs is more like a little lap table. On one corner, there’s a stunning apricot and coral dahlia. “Beautiful.” I run a finger down its cashmere petal.
“Almost as beautiful as you.”
What? Is he nuts? There’s nothing beautiful about the mess that I am. Ignore the fact that my hair is a rat’s nest and I haven’t showered in who knows how long, my ashen face and raccoon eyes are enough to scare anyone away. The haunted lenses I see the world through make horror movies seem sweet.
“Do you still want the steak? I can get you something else.”
“No. No. The steak looks delicious.” The medium rare ribeye fills up two-thirds of the large black plate—who buys black dishware—and a loaded potato fills the rest. To ‘balance out’ the massive meal, there’s also a salad and a mini loaf of bread with a butter rosette.
Vex stands there silently, waiting.
“Thank you.” How could I have forgotten to say thank you?
He stays right where he is.
What is going on? Why isn’t he getting his own food? “Are we going to share this?” There’s more than enough to feed the both of us…though as big as Vex is, I can see him eating this entire thing.
“We can, if that’s what you want.”
Oh. Oh. He’s being considerate again. “There’s no need. I trust you.” I shouldn’t. No sane person would trust this man without some sort of proof. Why do I?
“You shouldn’t.” He stalks out of the room.
Yet I do. The nightmare churning around inside me settles every time he gets close. Maybe all of this is driving me out of my mind. Will I ever get my mind back? My sense of normalcy?
Vex strides back in. Three plates are balanced on one thick arm with a wine goblet in that hand and a tray table in the other.
A tray table!?! “Why do you have a tray table?”
“My interior designer swore I’d need them eventually. Turns out she was right.” He sets the tray table down, opening it in one smooth motion.
“If I tried to do that, everything would be on your pretty floors.” And me.
Vex smiles as he places each plate down precisely on the tray table that faces our movie screen.
“What, no flower?”
A small chuckle escapes him. “Eat before your food gets cold.”
I’d prefer to stare at you, but that isn’t an option. Where do I even start with this amount of food? The logical choice would be to eat the steak before it gets cold, but the fresh bread smells so enticing. Slathered in butter—
“Dahlia—"
How has he already got a hunk of meat cut out of his ribeye?
“—eat your steak.”
Steak it is then. My knife slides through the meat like it’s butter. A moan escapes as the first bite touches my tongue.
“Told you so.”
It’s my turn to laugh. “So you’re one of those types. ”
“What types?” He turns to face me.
“The ‘I told you so’ types.”
“If the shoe fits.”
“It’s a good steak.”
He grins. “Wanna watch some television while we eat?”
“Sounds good. Though I wish I didn’t sleep through the Sharkies game.”
The tinkle of metal hitting metal draws my attention from the plate in front of me.
“The Sharkies. You just called the Sharks Baseball Team the Sharkies.”
“Yeah, so? I’ve called them that since I was a kid.” They were my favorite team for a long while.
“You’re a girl.”
“Um, yeah.”
“But that means you like baseball.”
Vex, in shock, is a sight to be seen. “Hate to break it to you, Mr. Bone Crusher, girls can like sports.”
“Girly girl librarians can’t. Women that wear cardigans aren’t allowed to like baseball.”
“And why can’t we be both?” Though where did the librarian come from? Not that I don’t love the library, because I absolutely do. It’s one of my favorite places.
“You really like baseball?”
Why do I need to prove myself? Maybe to see if I can poleaxe Vex even more than he already is. “Baseball is my favorite sport by far. Though, I settle for football through the fall and winter. These exhibition games are hit and miss before the baseball season starts.”
“Name a player.”
There are fifty I could name. “If I can only name one, I pick Oliver Schoolers.”
“Of all the players in the league you pick Schoolers. ”
“Why wouldn’t I? He’s the best shortstop in the history of the game, the reason I moved to Urbium, and the reason I love the Dragons.” Not to mention, he's pretty cute.
“You moved to Urbium for baseball?”
“Um, yeah.” Among other reasons. “How else am I going to get season tickets and go to every home game? That was even a condition of the job I took. They know I’d be going to every game once I get them.”
“So, you moved here and got a job just to enjoy baseball season tickets.”
Basically. “When I get them. Did you know the waiting list is tens of thousands of people long? It’s going to be years before I get them.”
“You’re crazy.”
And what else is new? “You said that before.”
“It bears repeating. We can watch the game if you want.” Vex clicks a few buttons and the pregame starts.
“As long as you won’t be bored.”
“I’m good.”
You really are, but why do you make people think you’re bad? That’s a question for another day. Right now, I need to forget about everything else and eat a brilliant steak and watch the Sharkies win hopefully.